Sweatmeat
by Lovina
Summary: Sunlight calls for a delightful return. Entry for the Noctluna week Day 4: Meeting the Chocobros.


"They get along well," Gladio noted, taking sight of the show.

It was as if Ignis and Luna had known each other for years; both worked on dinner, swiftly cutting what was needed, exchanging utensils and watching over the flames in coordinated movements around the small camp kitchenette. Tapping on her shoulder, Ignis throws a look behind him before smiling. "At last," he hummed, a bit louder than necessary, "someone that doesn't shy away from the kitchen."

The objections didn't make themselves wait.

"Hey! I- I always help make up the table!"

"Who do you think pitches the tent for everyone?"

Noctis rubbed his arm, not looking at anything in particular. "I do the fishing…"

Luna laughed behind a hand and Gladio let out a light huff. "Maybe they get along too well…"

That was just how their latest days had been expended.

The comfort of the miraculous return of the daylight, Noctis, and Luna had kept the guys high with relief, and their reunion had been the most heartfelt. Many tears had been shed, hugs were exchanged, and first meetings took place, marking, without doubt, the start of a new episode of their lives. It was amidst all the strong emotions that, in order to recharge the needed energies, Luna had pulled together a few celebratory puff pastries with what was available in their limited food stock, with an impressive result.

"These are amazing Lady Lunafreya!" said Prompto, eating the third one in a row. Luna smiled, shaking her head at the compliments. "It is nothing, really. I learned to make them for the children that I meet on my visits."

"Daaah C'mon, you can cut the modesty with us, right Noct? He can tell you how good these are." He nudged Noctis by his side, and her husband only shrugged after finishing yet another bite, "Yeah, a ten out of ten."

Distracting her from the guys collective teasing of Noctis, Ignis' prying questions appeared with a notebook, writing down details on her specific kneading process and a secret proposal she couldn't pass off. For that same reason, she found herself now helping him in his plan of bringing to life their very first Lucis-Tenebrae collaborative dish. Taking a sip of the hot boiling food, Luna smiled to herself "I believe is ready." She announced.

Prompto quickly approached to help serve the dishes, making an effort to suppress a snort once he saw the main ingredients in the glimmering food. Snickering at Ignis, Prompto went to stand a few feet from where Noctis sat, holding a knowing smile together with Noctis' plate.

"What's that look for?" Noctis asked.

"Oh, nothing of concern your highness," he started, voice lifted in a pompous tone, "but please, grant us the favor of taking the first bite of the food made by our queen, and bless us with your humblest opinion." With a flourish, Prompto handed Noctis his plate.

He stared at the food, blinking slowly once, twice, before raising his eyes to meet Ignis' recently healed ones "…carrots."

The plate was a bright dish of beans and carrots stew, fuming with small pieces of meat and garnished with the finely cut parsley whose healthy green gave a beautiful contrast with the vivid orange of the carrot nubs, "prepared by Lady Lunafreya herself," added Ignis with a smug smile. He perfectly knew Noctis wouldn't put up a fuss if the plate came from Luna, and used the fact against him. A true strategist if he ever knew one.

Switching looks between Luna, his friends, and back to his plate, Noctis hanged his head in defeat. His hand moved reluctantly to stab a piece of the offending tubercle with the fork, looking at it like one looks at an old enemy who survived a war. Taking a few seconds to muster up courage, he stilled his nerves and hastily shoved the food in his mouth.

The next five seconds were charged with tension as everyone observed him - for entirely different reasons; Luna held her hands close to her chest, thumbing her fingers in wait of his verdict. Gladio leaned forward at the edge of his seat. Ignis' smirk grew wider. Prompto inched his finger closer to the camera's shutter. Noctis swallowed, and gave a long look at his plate.

"Not bad."

The sounds of hot popping wood felt incredibly loud in the silence that followed.

Gladiolus was the first to react, standing up from his seat. "You are lying."

Ignis turned to Lunafreya, "Thank you so, so much..."

"Please Mr. Ignis, there is no need to bow...!"

"Ignis are yo- hey, stop crying!"

"You really have to be lying..."

The flash shot through the scene and Prompto cheered at the immortalization of the moment. He couldn't wait for everyone to get over the surprise to see their own faces in the perfectly framed scene. They would love the lighting. Taking a seat next to a catatonic Gladiolus, Prompto proceeded to enjoy his own plate of the miraculous orange stew that Noctis managed to like...

Until he froze, perfectly still as the fork stood firmly pressed between his lips.

Taken out of his trance by Prompto's odd behavior, Gladio tasted the dish by himself. His jaw went from rapid munching to a slow chewing, until it halted to a full stop. His vacant eyes were fixed on a far point on the horizon.

Luna and Noctis looked at their silent friends. "What's with them now?"

Drying his happy tears, Ignis took his own plate from the table, looking at Prompto, Gladiolus, then Noctis, before finally taking a spoonful of the broth.

Ah.

It made sense.

With great effort, Ignis managed to swallow the portion, but had no such luck suppressing the shudder that followed. "Lady Lunafreya, if I may ask..." he huffed, voice thick with effort, "was there something you added at the last minute?"

Luna winced coyly, looking back at the kitchenette. "Just a spoon of Killer Bee honey."

Prompto's fork made a loud clank against his plate.

Ignis placed a slow, careful hand on her shoulder, "Let's keep you focused on the pastries for the time being."

Noctis objected.


End file.
